Crime plan unveiled

Wednesday

Apr 3, 2013 at 12:01 AMApr 3, 2013 at 9:54 AM

Scott Smith and Kevin Parrish

STOCKTON - After two hours of public comment, most of it in support of Mayor Anthony Silva and his half-cent sales tax initiative, the Stockton City Council appeared ready late Tuesday night to endorse the Marshall Plan.

Public safety, not municipal bankruptcy, was the chief concern of most of the 30 people who addressed the council. An overflow crowd spilled outside the second-floor council chambers and into the first-floor lobby.

One resident brought a personal, not political, message to the council.

"I don't want this to happen to anybody," said Maria Juarez, the aunt of March 17 homicide victim Augustine Juan Sarraraz Jr. "It's not right. The whole family is hurt by this killing."

The Marshall Plan represents 18 months of planning and study, and it is designed to reduce violent crime in Stockton.

"Next to getting our fiscal house in order, this is the most important undertaking we can make to turn our town around," City Manager Bob Deis said. "And this is not just a City Hall issue. It will take the whole community. We can't arrest our way out of this. It's going to take some time."

The 132-page Marshall Plan was worked on last year by a 24-person committee.

Police Chief Eric Jones presented council members a report detailing recent crime trends and potential solutions within his department, which has been decimated by staffing cutbacks brought on by the city's budget problems. Consultant David Bennett, hired to facilitate Stockton's "Violence Reduction Strategy," outlined holistic approaches that involve the county and state criminal-justice systems and members of the community.

Jones said something had to be done following back-to-back years of record-breaking homicides: 56 in 2011 and 71 in 2012.

"I share the community's concern that we have to do a better job of delivering services," Jones said.

He said aggressive and innovative changes already have made a difference, including implementation of Project Ceasefire. So far this year, there have been six homicides, including the death of Sarraraz. There had been 16 by this date last year.

The Marshall Plan is the brainchild of former Mayor Ann Johnston, who first mentioned it at her State of the City address in May 2011. The original Marshall Plan - known as the European Recovery Program - was launched in 1948 as an American effort to aid post-World War II Europe.

At least one public speaker Tuesday night wasn't happy it took so long.

"We've waited as the crime rate has skyrocketed," Stockton resident Motecuzoma Sanchez said. "There have been break-ins, and people have lost family members. But no action has been taken, and for that, an apology is owed. If it's a priority, you don't take two years."

The council Tuesday also considered an analysis of Silva's half-cent sales tax initiative, which is expected to raise $18 million annually to put more than 100 police officers on the street. It would require two-thirds approval by voters.

Deis urged the City Council to "vigorously oppose" the tax plan. Deis said in a memo that Silva's plan could cause a "fiscal Armageddon." But the Marshall Plan takes advantage of "the most current thinking" in crime-fighting and prevention practices, Deis said.

The council heard a presentation by a city consultant, Management Partners, saying the tax proposal threatens to derail Stockton's ongoing bankruptcy and could harm the city's ailing general fund.

Two local police unions before the meeting urged the council to refrain from rejecting Silva's tax measure before it gets fully explored in a public debate.

Sgt. Kathryn Nance, president of the Stockton Police Officers' Association, said that her members haven't endorsed the mayor's initiative, but they didn't want the idea killed prematurely.

The police union issued the statement in concert with the San Joaquin County Deputy Sheriffs' Association. "New ideas are the foundation of our society," Nance said. "The citizens of Stockton voted for Mayor Anthony Silva, based on his new idea. ... We should listen to the citizens' voices and explore the ideas of a tax to fund officers."

Silva had a large showing of support.

Most of those who spoke said they supported Silva, and nobody spoke against his proposal.

Former Councilman Dale Fritchen, who introduced himself as a "recovering politician," said he too was undecided on Silva's tax because it hasn't been presented in full to the public.

He talked about bullying that he experienced while serving on the council. He said the public doesn't know about the bullying that goes on behind closed doors. Without naming any perpetrator, Fritchen said that Silva, like him, is now the victim of such tactics.

"Bullying people is not right," Fritchen said. "Stand up and say no more to the bullying."

The Rev. Ernest Williams said he supported higher taxes if it meant safer streets. But he objected to the division among council members. He would like to see them hug one another.

Attitudes need to change, Williams said.

"Make the city manager and mayor meet twice a week," Williams said. "So when they come out here in the public arena that they act like they love one another."